Pillow Talk
by FortressMaximus
Summary: Telling someone how you feel is never easy, even if you're Digidestined. Will an unexpected night of romance & passion give two friends the love & light needed to tell the boys in their life how they truly feel? Or will the night tear them apart forever?


Authors Notes

1) I don't own Digimon.

2) I have NO CLUE as to what muse came up and slapped me upside the head for this story. Only that it's a persistent little blighter and it wouldn't let me be 'till I at least got part one done. After this story I don't know if I'll ever do this again (I guess reviews will dictate that :) ).

3) WARNING-I rated this NC-17 more for the theme of the story rather than content so don't worry about there being anything graphic. BUT this is NOT a conventional relationship story between two DigiDestined. Who is involved is part of the surprise so I can't say here BUT I do apologize in advance if the pairing upsets anyone.

4) Please enjoy and review if you feel like it!

"Pillow Talk"

The morning sun filtering through rose-colored drapes was the first thing noticed as she woke.

Soft. Gentle. Wishing nothing more than to caress someone in its warmth; asking for nothing in return but perhaps a kind thought from time to time.

'So much like you..' mused the young woman to the still sleeping figure beside her.

Turning onto her side, Kari looked at her lover and remembered what had happened the night before and smiled brightly at the memories that had been created in those few hours of needful caresses and urgent desires.

She really didn't know how much time she just laid there, sheet wrapped loosely under her arms, at the person she had shared body and soul with so few hours ago.

She really didn't care either.

It wasn't until the sun had arced higher in the morning sky, casting it's rays farther upon the bed and finally across the sleeping eyes of Kari's companion, that Kari noticed the first signs of life from her bed-mate.

Fluttering open, the owner of the brown eyes smiled sheepishly.

"Good morning..."

"I was wondering if you were going to sleep all day.."

"What time is it?"

"A little before ten."

Those beautiful eyes blinked once, then twice. "Woah..why didn't you get me up sooner?"

"Because I enjoyed watching you sleep. Or would 'snore' be more accurate?"

There it is. I love that smile thought Kari as the playful jab finally registered through her lovers' sleep addled mind.

"Very funny, If I recall correctly I wasn't the one who screamed loud enough last night to wake up half of the apartment complex. Unless of course I'm remembering wrong..."

Blushing deeper than a stop sign, Kari giggled. "Well..I did have good reason.." as she leaned over and took the most convenient hand and began to wiggle the fingers.." or two..or three..or four..."

There was no response for the longest time aside from a deep blush and gentle hug.

A comfortable silence filled the bedroom as the two bodies ease back together under the covers, each enjoying the simple presence of the other. A quick kiss on the cheek from Kari created a soft giggle in the air.

"Good morning Kari.."

"Good morning Yolei..."

The words seem to hang in the air for a long moment before falling aside leaving the two young women alone with their respective thoughts.

It was a slight shift in Yolei's body that finally pulled Kari from her reflections of the night before to look at Yolei as she noticed a slightly worried look on her friend's face.

"Yolei? Is something wrong?"

The young woman blinked, unaware the misgivings running through her mind had been betrayed by her face. "No..of course not Kari. Why would anything be wrong?"

Kari didn't believe that for a moment. She knew Yolei too well to be fooled by such insincerity.

"Yolei, if something is bothering you please tell me."

The Holder of Love and Sincerity started to deny Kari's insight, but a gentle hug caused the attempt to die before it even could start. Looking away from her lover, Yolei couldn't meet her gaze.

"Kari? Are we still friends?"

Blinking, she nodded. "Of course Yolei! What would make you think otherwise?"

"I don't know Kari. I just..I don't want this.." as she paused, her hands slipping out from under the covers to gesture to the bed they now shared.."to ruin what we had."

Kari winced at how easily Yolei was already using the past tense to describe their friendship and that set off numerous mental alarms in her mind.

"Yolei, we will always be friends no matter what! Just because we were together for one night doesn't mean we have to sacrifice years of friendship to pay for it."

Neither agreeing or disagreeing with that, Yolei began to draw away from Kari as if her very presence would somehow hurt the Angel of Light next to her.

Realizing that she had to do something to show Yolei that no harm had been done to their friendship or trust to the other, Kari deliberately and with certain intent drew herself across Yolei's body until the two were face to face. Not allowing Yolei a second's chance to protest the action, Kari summoned what little passion that had not been spent the night before and kissed Yolei deeply on the lips in a desperate attempt to draw her from the darkness that Kari could feel building around her friend.

For a second the length of eternity Yolei tried to resist the kiss; to pull away from Kari before she did more harm to her friend's Light. But the second passed and she found herself falling into the kiss faster than she could control.

As both pairs of eyes closed, Yolei found herself mentally drifting back to the night before.

The night everything changed

"Uhg, turn it off!"

Laughing, Yolei flicked off the T.V and the wretched movie that had without doubt been the worst waste of five bucks in the history of movie rentals.

"Romantic film of the year my helmet!"

Giggling, Kari sat down beside her friend with fresh popcorn and sodas.

It was a regular Tuesday night and the two young ladies had decided to take advantage of Tai's late soccer game (and subsequent 'it's not a date' date with Sora) as well as her parents overnight stay with her aunt to help with a new baby to enjoy some non-Digital World based relaxation and decided to rent 'the romance of the century'.

Looking back, it was one of those 'it seemed like a good idea at the time' decisions.

It wasn't.

"I mean..they call that dialog romantic?"

"I think /somewhere/ it's romantic Kari. Just not here!"

The pair began to laugh for the longest time until their cheeks turned pink.

"I mean, that..just.." stammered Yolei as she tried to find the right word.

"Sucked?" suggested Kari.

"Bingo!"

Another fit of giggling filled the room and Kari was secretly glad that Gatomon and Hawkmon were in the Digital World visiting friends. Despite how much she loved Gatomon and enjoyed having her in her life it was nice to have a good old fashioned 'girls-night-in' and not have the feline Digimon be a party-pooper about it ruining her catnap.

Finally settling down enough the two sipped sodas in quiet until Yolei slyly glanced over at her friend. "So..speaking of romance..."

Blinking, Kari looked up from her popcorn bowl and tried to ignore the alarm the look on Yolei's face created.

"Uhm..yea?"

"The rumor mill at school has you and a certain Mr. T.K. Takashi holding hands in the hallway yesterday."

Kari fidgeted for a moment then defiantly looked at her friend. "I can't believe you would listen to a bunch of rumor mongers over me!"

"So..is that a denial?"

"I didn't say that!"

"So you were."

"I didn't say that either Yolei."

Grinning as Kari started to turn as red as her top, Yolei leaned back satisfied as every denial confirmed the rumor.

"Okay..so we were holding hands. We though about just..maybe..trying it out. See how it felt. That's all."

"And..?"

Kari blushed deeper. "Really nice..."

Yolei laughed softly and nodded. "Cool. I just won 5 bucks!"

"What??"

"June bet me that I couldn't find out if it was true or not!"

"Don't you dare tell her that Yolei or I'll.." Kari. threatened playfully.

"Or you'll what?"

She sat there for a long moment deciding on the best way to get Yolei back and it suddenly hit her like a bolt of lighting.

"Or I'll show a certain someone..this..!" and with that Kari rushed behind the couch to where her and Yolei's schoolbooks were resting and snatched up one of her friend's folders and waved it in triumph.

Yolei blinked and jumped to her feet. "You..you wouldn't dare!"

Grinning as evilly as possible, Kari folded her arms. "You wanna risk it? You can tell June or by the end of tomorrow and by the time you get home Izzy will know about a certain heart in /someone's/ folder with his name in quite large letters!"

Yolei sighed, knowing full well she was beaten and good. Offering her hand she nodded. "Uhm..how aobut we call it even?"

Nodding, Kari handed over the folder and gave her friend a hug. "Deal!"

Looking relieved, Yolei tossed the folder and it's secret on top of her book and sat back down on the soft and smiled as Kari did the same. "Would you have really told Izzy?"

"Of course not! But..well..if you feel that way about him Yolei you need to tell him."

"Just like you've told T.K.?"

Blinking, it was now Kari's turn to sigh. "Oh..yea. I guess we both have a little problem telling who we love how we feel."

A long silence filled the room until Kari looked over at Yolei and noticed the sad expression on her face. "Yolei...?"

Unable to meet her friend's gaze Yolei instead stood, walking over to the window and look a moment to gaze at the world just outside.

Unsure if she should go over, Kari hesitantly watched until Yolei's voice broke the silence.

"I...don't...know if I love Izzy Kari."

Blinking, Kari sat stunned by the revelation for a long moment. "But, I thought..."

"I don't know if I love him Kari because I don't know /what/ love is!" Yolei bitterly admitted as she tried to focus on the people on the ground far below and not the image of Kari's expression in the glass. "I have the Digi-Egg of Love and I don't even know what 'love' is! What a mistake! Guess I got Ken beat on the whole 'this can't be right for me' deal huh?" she suggested as an acidic laugh escaped her throat.

Frowning at Yolei's sudden desire to hurt herself, Kari stood up and walked over to the young woman and spun her around. Watching with fiercly neutral eyes, Kari held her friend as Yolei's widened to a near-impossible degree.

"Now you listen to me Yolei! When I felt I wasn't strong enough to resist the Darkness you helped me fight back despite how bad I was feeling about myself. Now it's my turn to help and I'm going to help by telling you that your a wonderful person and you shouldn't be making yourself feel bad just because these feelings are scary!" Kari gazed at her friend, knowing all too well what Yolei was facing as she had battled the same enemy for a long time after T.K's admission of his caring for her that day in the school yard so long ago.

As tears slowly trailed down her cheeks, Yolei's words began to tumble over each other as they escaped their long confinement. "It's..Kari..I just don't know how I feel about anything sometimes! It's all...jumbled.. Do I love Izzy or is it just my hormones running crazy? I /want/ to know what love is Kari! I want to know passion, romance; everything I see other people have. Even Mimi and Joe know there's /something/ between them even living an ocean apart and I can't even tell how I feel about a boy three blocks away! Sora and Tai have this great love;. we all see it, even me! But..I can't FEEL it..and..." her voice trailed off as she choked back what she about said.

"And..what..Yolei?"

Clutching Kari tightly as if she was a raft in the middle of a typhoon, Yolei clung onto her friend as the tears flowed faster now. "And..it's..driving me crazy Kari. Sometimes..I don't want to ever feel anything again..."

Kari watched as her friend finally broke down totally and sobbed into her shoulder, months of frustration and hidden conflicts churning their way to the surface.

The young woman berated herself for not seeing Yolei in such a state. I'm supposed to be her friend. How could I not see this happening?? Kari asked herself as she held Yolei for several long minutes until the tears were mostly spent.

"Why didn't you come to me Yolei? You wouldn't have had to face this alone..."

"Oh Kari, I wanted to. But I saw how you and T.K. were having trouble telling each other how you felt and I couldn't add my problems to something like that! I mean, what kind of friend would I have been to do that??"

"Oh, Yolei..." Kari began, but decided to end the statement with a powerful hug to reassure her friend that she was not alone in this.

Savoring the moment, Yolei found a minor bit of comfort in Kari's arms as the fears and doubts faded for just a second. Suddenly, the sensation of movement caught her attention and Yolei found herself being led to the sofa and back down onto the cushions.

"Yolei.."

Still hesitant to look at her friend directly, Yolei focused her gaze on the carpet until Kari's gentle touch eased her chin up until both young ladies were eye-to-eye.

"Believe it or not Yolei, Sora had the same problem when she had the Crest of Love."

Blinking, the young woman fixed Kari with a gaze that made it all to clear she found that hard to believe.

"It's true. For a long time she thought she couldn't feel love. It upset her so much she even stayed away from the rest of the original DigiDestined because it was so confusing. But she realized that she /was/ loved, both by her friends and her mom. Now she and her mom get along great and since my brother finally got off his duff and told her how he feels, their getting along really well. So you see you can feel love, it just may be confusing at times..."

"But..you and T.K. love each other, and your not feeling this way." Yolei countered.

At that Kari blinked, and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"What's so funny..?" Yolei asked quietly, scared she had said something really stupid.

Clutching her friend's hand tighter, Kari composed herself. "Is that what you really think Yolei?"

Realizing she was missing something important, Yolei nodded unable to see what her friend was getting at.

"Yolei, I'm scared to death of telling T.K. how I feel."

"But..why??"

"Because he feels the same way."

Yolei blinked, more than slightly confused.

"And he'll tell me that he loves me and then..everything changes."

It took a long moment before Yolei realized what Kari was saying but when she did, it hit her like a ton of bricks. But before she could comment, Kari continued.

"And then we start holding hands all the time. And then we go to movies and eat pizza in little back corners lit by candlelight. Then we go to a few school dances, then the prom. Then it starts getting awkward because we both start thinking about if it's the right time to go further and when we finally do it's...it's..."

It was Yolei's turn to comfort Kari as the young woman began to hesitate softly. Gently she ventured a guess. "It's not the right time?"

Smiling sadly at Yolei, Kari shook her head. "No..it's..it's what I want Yolei. I want to be with T.K. I want him to be my first time, but I'm so scared that I'll be so..bad..that it'll make our first time a miserable experience for him..."

Yolei listened quietly to what she was hearing and could not believe it. Kari was scared of being a disappointment to T.K.?? Had the situation not been so delicate Yolei would have been tempted to laugh at the mere thought. Instead, she gently shook her head and brushed a lock of hair from her friends' eyes.

"Kari..T.K. could never be disappointed in you, either as his lover or his friend. He knows you care for him, and together you'll figure out how its supposed to work."

Secretly, Yolei prayed that Kari would understand; too often the young woman put others' feelings first before her own and this time was no exception. But even Yolei knew that in sex and relationships, you have to think of your own feelings as well as the person your with.

"Do you think so Yolei?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Of course I do! Besides..isn't finding out how it works half the fun?" she questioned slyly.

Blushing, Kari giggled softly and hugged her friend, feeling much better now. But still...

"Yea..I guess so Yolei. Still, I wish I had some idea what I was supposed to do and not do before it happens..."

"Wouldn't that be kinda like cheating? Give you an unfair advantage over T.K.?"

"Well..maybe. But if I get his eyes to roll back in his head, would it really matter?"

A long pause filled the air until both girls began to laugh hard until their faces were covered with tears.

"That's..just..so..."

"Unfair?" suggested Kari.

"No../perfect/!"

Blushing at both the conversations' turn of topic and the mental image in her head, Kari giggled softly. "Well..I guess your right Yolei. The main thing is that even if I wish I was better prepared, it's not going to happen with anyone but T.K. so we'll just deal with it when everything happens."

Blinking, Yolei was a bit taken aback by the quiet determination in her friend's voice. But, after a few moments, she nodded in agreement.

"I guess that's the best thing to do Kari. And maybe I'll be able to figure out how I feel about Izzy if I just take it slow. I just wish..I don't know; maybe I'm just looking for easy answers here, but I wish I knew something about these feelings other than..well..what I do know. Which isn't much of course."

Kari shook her head. "Or maybe you just want to be as prepared as possible, like me. That right there shows how much you care about Izzy by not wanting to hurt him."

Blinking, Yolei never would have considered that possibility but hearing Kari say it out loud made it a lot more plausible than she would have thought.

Leaning over, Yolei went to give Kari a kiss on the cheek.. Nothing major, or earthshaking. Just one of the many ways friends show how they care for each other. Like 'hi-fiving' your friend as you see them on the street.

But as she leaned over, Kari sensed the motion and looked back around, not wishing to be rude and avoid looking at her friend as she spoke.

Thus, instead of the kiss touching Kari's left cheek, Yolei's and Kari's lips brushed against each other.

Both young women froze in place, the contact stunning them for several seconds until they both quickly pulled away blushing so red it looked as if they were about to spontaneous combust.

"That's my fault.."

"No, I should have been paying more attention.."

"Well, I shouldn't have leaned over so far.."

"It's okay.."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course Yolei."

Another long pause filled the air as subconsciously both women scooted away from each other, as if warriors falling back to regroup and recover. Yolei looked down and with more than a slight bit of surprise noticed her hands were shaking no matter how tightly she held them. Kari looked around in a quiet panic trying to find something..anything..to bring the situation back to normal. But what surprised her was the fuzzy feeling that seemed to be clouding her thoughts as she tried unsuccessfully to shove the taste of Yolei's lip gloss from memory. If she just had something to focu...

Sodas.

The sodas were empty.

They needed more sodas.

"WouldyoulikeanothersodaYolei?" Kari asked/much/ faster than 'appearing O.K.' would call for.

Nodding nearly as quickly Yolei smiled, grateful for /anything/ to get everything back on track.

Standing up, Kari picked up her empty glass and started to reach for Yolei's, but due to her mental distraction she failed to notice her feet had become somewhat intertwined with the leg of the coffee table and as she reached for the glass her feet locked and she started to fall.

"Kari!" yelled Yolei as she saw her friend start to tilt. Thankfully, her time in the Digital World had blessed her with even better reflexes than most experienced video gamers and she caught Kari before the young woman hurt anything.

However, the momentum proved to be another matter as Yolei was unable to compensate for it and both went down onto the fluffy couch in a tangle of arms and legs.

After the sensation of falling stopped, the two found themselves lying face to face on the couch, Yolei's body pressed deeply into the cushions as Kari found herself safe and sound atop of her friend, their noses all but touching.

Time seemed to crawl to a stop once again, but this time the situation was much more dire. Kari could feel Yolei's breath, warm and ragged, on her neck and cheek as the young woman tried hard to gather each gasp of air. Those lips, covered in that sweet tasting lip gloss Kari had tried to forget, were now such a short distance away it almost hurt to be even that far apart.

Yolei looked into Kari's eyes, stunned by the depth she saw in them; as if she could be lost forever in those eyes and never be sad again. It was then she started to notice other things; how comfortable Kari's weight felt on top of her and how wonderful even the scent of plain soap smelled on Kari; better than any perfume.

Neither dared to move, scared to shatter the moment.

Warning sirens filled Kari's mind as everything she had been heard and told by the outside world was /this/ was wrong; this is not the way 'it' was supposed to happen. This moment should best be forgotten, to be filed away with all the other transgressions of youth that time would eventually forgive.

But Kari cared nothing about what 'they' said. 'They' weren't here at this moment, looking into Yolei's eyes and seeing them reflect the soul of the young woman who so wanted to feel love and passion; to know how those emotions felt just once so she could better understand them. And maybe..maybe..use that understanding to unlock the feelings she had for the young man who filled her thoughts and dreams. .

How could Kari deny Yolei that chance? What kind of friend would she be, to ignore Yolei's feelings in favor of her own?

Trembling, Yolei held onto Kari's arms as her mind raced trying to sort everything that had just happened into neat little pockets of familiarity but was failing miserably. Nothing in her life had prepared her for something like this and her 'fight or flee' instincts were starting to kick in. Until she looked again into Kari's eyes and so many of her fears became like scattered leaves in a hurricane. It was then she realized how much Kari needed her at that moment; how much the Holder of Light needed to believe in herself and the power of her feelings for T.K. .

Her own fears were second place; that much Yolei realized. As Kari's friend, how could she turn her back on showing Kari how much she was trusted? To pull away could shatter Kari; make her think that she wasn't worth having when so much the opposite was true.

Pushing her remaining doubts aside, Yolei realized what she needed to do in order to help Kari believe in herself.

As Kari leaned down, Yolei raised up. With a gentle caress, their lips brushed against the other as both young women lowered their final defenses and let the night--and their friendship--take them where it would.

This is wrong! echoed the small voice of Yolei's conscience in between waves of fuzziness caused by Kari's lips as they pressed warmly against her own.

. I don't ..it..can't... thought Yolei back as the kiss filled her with an unexpected happiness. Yolei's fingers moved down her friend's arms to finally wrap around the slender hands that now rested beside her body.

How... can it be wrong..when it.. feels.. so right...?

The voice was about to protest again when Yolei inhaled sharply through her nose, needing to continue a little habit she picked up called breathing. But as she did, the crisp /clean/ scent that Kari held flooded into her nostrils, stilling the voice and the protests it held.

A tremble of delight raced through Yolei, causing the young woman to clutch tighter at her friend's fingers.

Gasping at the tightened grip, Kari shivered as the taste of Yolei's lip gloss was further embedded in her memory as the sweet flavor caused her to drift into a calm warmth that she never had felt before.

Simply enjoying the being in the sheer presence of the other, both Kari and Yolei savored each moment until several minutes later they slowly pulled away, needing time to catch their breath and find some sense of calm against the hormonal storm that they could feel churning within their bodies.

Each looked at the other, wanting to say something to try to explain this powerful twist in their lives, but neither had the words to say what was truly in her heart.

But, as things so often happen, in this moment of happiness a dark thought raced suddenly through Kari's mind as unexpected as this kiss had been mere minutes ago.

What if Yolei is doing this just for me??

The unbidden question slammed into Kari's conscience like a runaway freight train as the thought of her friend..perhaps her /best/ friend of all the DigiDestined women..was doing /this/ for her sake alone created an icy ball of guilt in her stomach.

Yolei shivered as Kari's sudden mood shift was noticeable enough for her inner instincts to pick up on almost immediately. Blinking to clear the warm fuzziness and regain some semblance of focus, she gently took her friend's hand.

"Kari...?"

But Kari was unable to respond to Yolei's soft inquiry as her mind raced at light speed around the thought that had shattered the moment.

But..she..she can't be doing this just for me! That's not fair to her! Kari mentally exclaimed as she berated herself for being so selfish she would make her friend do something against her will just for /her/, of all people!

Looking on, Yolei watched as the warm smile of Kari's happiness was rapidly replaced by a look she had never seen before and prayed she never would again. Despair and anger were now etched on Kari's young face as even the rosy color of her cheeks was replaced by the pallor of inner turmoil.

Suddenly, Kari's hand pulled from Yolei and the young holder of Light stood, startling Yolei with the swiftness of the movement.

Even thought she knew what she had to do to set Yolei free from this situation, Kari knew it would break both their friendship and her heart.

But Yolei deserved so much better than..her.

Resisting the urge to cry, Kari turned away. "Y..Yolei..it's..getting late. Maybe..maybe you had better..go..so you won't worry your parents..." stammered the young woman as she offered the only means of escape for Yolei that she could think of admist the confusion of her conscience.

Yolei slowly stood, stunned to the core by Kari's suggestion. Her hand, which had been on its way to rest upon Kari's shoulder, froze in place.

But..why??? Yolei asked herself over and over as she watched Kari's arms wrap around her own body as it to protect itself...

Whimpering softly to herself, Yolei then realized what Kari was trying to protect herself from.

Her.

Stupid..stupid..stupid Yolei!! What made you think someone like her would have any kind of special feelings for someone like you. Idiot! First you are too chicken to see how you feel about Izzy, now you hurt Kari! Some friend you are!!

Lowering the hand, Yolei tried to summon every bit of willpower to keep from sobbing at the ruined friendship that lay at their feet and focused on leaving with as much as grace as possible so as to not hurt Kari any further.

"Oh..yea..I..guess it is kinda late Kari. I..guess..maybe..I should..." mummered Yolei as she started to gather her schoolbooks, but the tears in her eyes made the job a difficult, fumbling mess.

Nodding, Kari focused on the floor, unable to look Yolei in the face after the atrocity she had committed against their friendship. Bitterly she noted how fast Yolei was trying to get out since she kept dropping her books everywhere.

"I'll..see..you..at..school...I..guess..." whispered Kari as unseen by Yolei she began to shake at the thought of what she almost made her do.

Looking up after finally being able to hold back enough tears to see her scattered textbooks, Yolei blinked then moved away from Kari as it was clear she was so upset she was shaking in anger.

"Y..yea..s..sure Kari. School..." was the hushed reply as Yolei made her way to the door trying so very hard to not look back at Kari at least one final time before she walked out that door.

Kari shivered quietly, the tears she had been trying so hard to hold back were flowing freely now, without pause. The twin rivers of grief eased down her cheeks as a soft sob escaped her lips before she even had a chance to hold the sound back. Through tear-drenched eyes, Kari looked at her departing friend trying to remember the good times they had shared.

Her head jerking at the sound of Kari's sob, though more out of reflex than anything else, Yolei caught Kari's eyes for the briefest of moments.

But it was enough.

She's..she's pushing me away so she won't hurt me...

The thought raced through Yolei's mind as the past few minutes; the sudden change in her friend's mood. Now it all fell into place.

Oh Kari. Can't you see how wonderful you are!? asked Yolei silently as she watched her friend standing there, shivering against the undeserved torment she was placing upon herself. Your willing..to put yourself through all that...just to protect me??

It was then--in that very second--that Yolei realized that Kari was trying to protect her from something that she didn't /want/ to be protected from.

Kari startled as a sudden tumbling sound broke through the mental paralysis and her eyes fixated on the re-scattered piles of books and study materials now strewn over the floor at Yolei's feet. Then, another glint of movement caught her attention, her eyes this time focusing on the slowly approaching from of Yolei herself.

Go ahead Yolei. I deserve it. Kari thought as she braced herself for the slap that was bound to happen.

It never came.

In its place was a powerful kiss; full of both passion and tenderness. Again, Yolei's fingers intertwined with Kari's, but this time it was not just a grip of desire but one of reassurance that what was happening was /okay/.

Kari tried to pull away, determined to prevent Yolei from doing something against her will in the name of their friendship. Fingers tried to leave the embrace that held them as Kari fought against the warm feelings of delight that tried to creep back into her.

Yolei felt Kari trying to pull away and knew that she couldn't let that happen. If Kari was able to break the embrace, she was certain that her friend would somehow find a way to keep them apart.

Beset by sudden inspiration, Yolei realized that Kari /had/ to see how special she was, and soon. If she failed at this, Kari would continue to hide her feelings from T.K. and that could ultimately tear them apart. Unwilling to be the cause of such a crime simply because she lacked the courage, Yolei focused and with every bit of passion and friendship deepened the kiss in the most unexpected of ways.

Kari shivered, caught totally off guard by the sudden sensation of Yolei's tongue as it gently parted her lips and entered into a tender dance with her own. Even more surprising to the young woman was that she found herself responding in kind before her conscious mind even considered stopping the act.

Her mind racing, Kari now clutched at Yolei's hand as the intimate kiss continued. Lost in a tornado of mixed emotions, the inner voice could no longer guild her away from Yolei's wondrous touch. As she began to drown in a sea of desire, one last crystal clear thought filled Kari's mind.

She ..she..wants.. to be with me. She..really..wants to be..here.. with me..no matter what happens...

Yolei blinked as warm tears splashed unexpectedly upon her cheek. But before she could determine if Kari was crying in despair or delight, her friend answered the unspoken question by deepening the kiss further.

Kari's tongue dove further into Yolei's warm mouth, teasing and tasting every place she could reach as the realization of Yolei's honest desire began to fill her with a powerful confidence. Whimpering very softly, Yolei inwardly smiled as Kari's fears began to vanish and the warm blanket of passion surrounded them once again.

This new kiss lasted for several more minutes until Kari pulled away, her cheeks flushed from the moment. Slowly, she laid her head on Yolei's shoulder, still holding her friend close.

I promise you Yolei, I'll help you understand what love is. I /know/ you can feel it! I won't let you down...

Yolei stood there, transfixed by the powerful change that had enveloped her friend once more. Nuzzling closer, she gave Kari a gentle kiss on the cheek and smiled.

A soft giggle escaped Kari's throat as she finally looked directly at Yolei for the first time in a long while. Brushing some of her friend's hair aside, Kari traced the curve of her left cheekbone lazily with a finger.

Sighing happily, Yolei just looked at Kari as if etching this moment of pure happiness into her mind forever. It was then that Kari's voice broke the stillness.

"Yolei..?"

"Yes Kari?"

Pausing to summon her courage, Kari debated on what was the best way to ask her question. Finally, she decided on the direct approach and prayed.

"Will you..stay the night...?"

Pillow Talk--Conclusion

The weight upon Yolei's shoulders was immense. To say yes would lead to changes that she knew she wanted, but still slightly hesitant to embrace. Its opposite would hurt Kari's feelings and shatter her trust, which was the main reason she was willing to embark on this unexpected journey.

But as the young woman looked into her friend's eyes, the few doubts she had left started to fade as a single overriding thought filled her mind.

Kari wants me...this...to happen. She really does!"

By itself, the warmth of Kari's breath or the clean scent of her skin was nearly enough to shatter Yolei's control by this point. Coupled with how soft her skin felt and those beautiful eyes; it was enough to almost drive her insane.

Where she found the strength to simply nod instead of giving into the newfound desires that crept into her spirit Yolei honestly did not know.

"I..I would like that very much Kari. but ..." she began, pausing suddenly as a sliver of necessity arose through the warm haze that surrounded her mind.

Kari blinked, at first overwhelmed with Yolei's acceptance but as she heard the hesitation, a tendril of fear began to form once more in the pit of her belly.

"But..what..Yolei..?" came the soft, almost whispered query.

Hearing the worry enter Kari's voice made Yolei want to kick herself. Pushing down her own self anger, a soft smile tugged at her lips as fingers intertwined once more.

"I..I need to know something Kari."

"Know...what..?"

"No matter what..happens..can we...will we...still be friends?"

The question was asked soft and low, almost as if offered in fear that the cost of this night--wherever it might lead--would just be too high.

A mix of relief and caution rippled through Kari as she felt a great weight lift from her shoulders. Taking a moment to compose herself, she replied in a voice as clear and honest as Yolei could ever recall hearing.

"I promise you Yolei that nothing will ever stop us from being friends. /Nothing/." and with that Kari proceeded to kiss her friend once more, as if to protect the promise between them with an unbreakable seal.

Yolei closed her eyes, savoring the taste of Kari's lips as it grew deeper and more passionate by the moment.

It was at that moment that Yolei knew there was no turning back. What had started could not be stopped, or even postponed. Strange and wondrous things were about to happen to them both; to think otherwise would be a sign of naiveté that neither she nor her friend possessed. Now, with Kari's promise still echoing in her mind, the few worries she had been harboring were finally vanquished, leaving only a newfound sense of want in its place.

After what felt like forever, the kiss ended and Yolei saw the same look of understanding in Kari's beautiful eyes and knew that she too had realized there was no going back. Thus, in silent harmony, they both turned and walked down the short hallway hand in hand as the messy living room..and in some ways their innocence...were left behind.

Moonlight seeped in through the cracks of the blinds, creating a surreal atmosphere in the small bedroom that now served as sanctuary for old friends who were quickly becoming something much more. Not another word was spoken...or needed...as the 'click' of the lock faded and a heavy silence filled the room. Now safe from the outside world and its prejudices, the two young women stood there face to face, each taking in the sight of the other bathed in the nighttime light.

They stood like that for what felt like hours enjoying the quiet of the moment, but the urges stoked by the tender kisses such a short time ago demanded more. Perhaps not too ironically, each came to the same conclusion and ever so tenderly both pairs of hands began a slow trek up the other's side. A rustling sound could be heard as the white cottony fabric of Kari's T-shirt soon fluttered to the floor, quickly joined by the purple silkiness of Yolei's blouse.

Clad only in their undergarments from the waist up, each paused to catch their breath as the sight before them was more beautiful than expected.

Yolei let her eyes flow over the subtle curves of Kari's breasts, noticing how flushed and tender the skin looked. The sheerness of the bra did little to hide Kari's apparent excitement as her nipples were rather noticeable, although Yolei was sure her own were no less obvious.

In the dim light, Kari's nipples looked to be soft pink; almost coral in color, a sharp but beautiful contrast to her skin tone. Yolei felt a slight surge of envy as Kari's size fit her frame exactally. Neither too big or too small, the upper symbols of her gender rested exactly where they should for someone so...perfect.

With the sly smile lost in the moonlight, Kari missed seeing the glint of humor in Yolei's eyes as the young woman remembered a time not long ago in school when a group of senior cheerleaders were passing judgment on several passing underclassmen and Kari happened to be one of their less-than-kind reviews. Yolei had heard them quite clearly (and quite by accident) state 'she thought she was just so perfect and couldn't do anything wrong'".

Bristling, Yolei waited until Kari had moved out of earshot then stunned the group of elder girls by railing against them and their own attitudes of being good enough to pass judgment on others. With all the sincerity she possessed, the Holder of Love told them that Kari wasn't perfect and never said so. 'She's just a great person who always tries to help others!' was her argument and it was one that left the group stunned and more than a bit chased.

But now, upon seeing Kari like this, Yolei /knew/ she had been wrong. Kari was, in all the ways that mattered/perfect/. How could anyone so beautiful not be perfect as well...?

Blushing, Kari felt the intense gaze of Yolei upon her body. Even though she could not fully see the appreciative look Yolei possessed, it was felt nonetheless and caused the young woman to tint even deeper.

Now that her own eyes were adjusted to the soft light of the room, Kari could make out the gentle curves of Yolei's body, modestly hidden behind the pale violet fabric of her bra. Now it was easy to see that Yolei was a good half cup size larger than herself; a fact that caused a hint of momentary envy to rise in Kari's mind.

But the emotion did little to detract from how beautiful Yolei was.

But despite how this intimate portrait was effecting her, the bearer of Light knew that there was another step she had to take; the urgings deep in her soul too strong to ignore. With a gentle tug, Kari's fingers pulled from Yolei's hand and drifted up her arm to finally end at the small silver clasp in front of her friend's bra.

Blinking, Yolei stood there for a moment, shocked by the calm confidence with which Kari had made the gesture. As she inhaled sharply to calm her churning insides, she watched as the garment was unhooked and within moments it joined the growing pile of clothes gathered around their feet.

What was only teasingly seen moments ago was revealed now and Kari found herself gazing at the soft mounds she had freed. Perfect in size and shape, Kari watched as the rose colored nipples hardened under her view; a fact that brought a deep blush to both pairs of cheeks.

It was then Kari felt the gentle glide of fingers over her bare back as Yolei's free hand had started a slow trek up her spine and only ended when the soft fingers found the small clasp of metal that held Kari's bra against her skin.

Moments later, the pile of garments grew by another piece as Kari shivered slightly. But rather from being fear or even worry, it was from anticipation in the hopes that she proved visually pleasing to her friend.

The soft gasp that escaped Yolei's lips was enough to quickly allay those fears.

Time seemed to pause as each seemed to watch the other as their bodies demanded the fires inside be quenched as soon a possible. Somehow, both young women were able to resist the sirens call of their desires and remain focused on the truer goals.

I won't fail you Yolei. I promise I'll do whatever it takes for you to understand how much love you have inside. I /know/ you can feel love if you just believe in yourself...

Why can't she see herself like this? So beautiful as she is! I promise you Kari that I won't rest until you understand how wonderful you are just by being /you/.

A small shutter of movement broke the stillness as one pair of hands moved to gently rest on the others' sides and within moments the same was done by the other. Slowly the two gently became one and another deep kiss began.

As a warm blanket of desire covered the two, one could easily marvel at how perfectly the two forms merged together; as if each were half of a whole that never should have been parted.

Falling gently onto the soft covers, the two young woman savored each moment unlike any experience encountered before. The softness of Kari's skin against her own was the most wonderful sensation the young holder of Love had ever felt. Like on the couch such a short time ago, Kari's weight was perfect upon her own form, pleasantly trapping Yolei between her best friend and the softness of the bed.

It was only after a few more minutes that the kiss ended as Kari leaned up to admire the moonlight-graced form of her friend.

No..not just my friend.. the small voice deep in Kari's mind corrected. My lover...

Kari felt a warmth fill her as the special word echoed in her consciousness. Yolei was her lover now. The 'rightness' of the label, and this night, simply added another facet to all the things Yolei was to Kari.

A shift of movement below her drew Kari's attention from her mental thoughts to focus on more physical needs. It was then the holder of Light noticed that Yolei was still only half bare and that, now, seemed so /very/ wrong.

Smiling, Kari's fingers found their way from Yolei's sides to her waist, gliding over the skin underneath with a touch like liquid silk. It was only when the fingers slipped halfway under the denim waistband of Yolei's jeans that she shopped and let her eyes meet Yolei as the silence between them was filled with the unspoken request.

Eyes widening at the touch, Yolei bit her bottom lip to keep from moaning as the fire inside grew in anticipation of what Kari was asking.

It only took the shortest of moments for Yolei to nod, granting her silent approval for Kari to continue.

Flushing red, Kari nodded in quiet thanks and with gentle motions began to work Yolei's jeans and panties down from her waist to feet without stop, save for the few seconds it took for Kari's form to lift, letting the garments pass underneath.

Yolei's breath froze in her chest as her most intimate of places was revealed to Kari's gaze. Unmoving, she simply watched as a look of shock drifted to another of respect and finally on of thanks for being allowed to see her...like this.

Kari felt a flush of passion run to the center of her body as Yolei's full body was seen fully drenched in the tender moonlight. More than just seeing her bare form, it was the fact that Yolei was /letting/ her be seen like. It was this level of trust that caused Kari's body to shiver in desire. A soft whimper escaped her lips as Yolei again moved gently beneath her. But even more of a surprise than seeing Yolei in all her innocence was the feeling of gentle fingers wrapping around her own waist. It was clear Yolei wanted to see Kari's form openly as well.

Kari nodded, biting her lower lip to keep from whimpering as her own pants and undergarments were eased down until they, along with Yolei's own jeans, were none-too-gently shoved off the bed into a haphazard pile upon the floor.

Flushing boldly, Kari watched as now it was Yolei's turn to be stunned by the pure beauty that Kari possessed. It was like she was an angle on Earth; here for the simple purpose of bringing Light to all who knew her.

Unable to resist any longer, Kari gently fell back onto Yolei's form, needing to taste her lips once more. But now, with the last barriers of clothing removed, the two bodies were pressed together in ways so intimate it pushed them both over the edge and their gentle kisses and tender caresses intensified a hundred fold.

The hours passed like moments as Kari and Yolei became the most intimate of lovers. First kisses became intimate tastes as gentle caresses melded into the most private of touches.

It was only then, in the twilight of night, that those touches bore fruit. Locked together in heated passion, Kari and Yolei caressed the other with abandon as they reached a perfect symmetry so few lovers ever find.

With lips meshed and tongues swirling, the two young women quickly approached the point of release; their fingers deeply embedded in the others most intimate of places.

It was then, just as the first hints of light trickled over the horizon Kari and Yolei's lips parted, each gasping for breath as their respective tidal waves of pleasure consumed them both. Yolei's face buried itself within Kari's shoulder; the powerful cry of release muffled against her friend's soft form. Shuddering, four soft words managed to escape Yolei's lips; words that brought a powerful and thankful smile to Kari's face.

But the smile quickly faded as Kari's last vestiges of willpower were torn asunder and she too gave into the churning ocean of passion that begged for release. As the wave of ecstasy swept through her, Kari cried Yolei's name out to the heavens, as if challenging the Gods themselves to find a more passionate soul in this or any other world.

Clutching the other in a powerful embrace, the two gasped as the final wave of their passions consumed them for several long minutes. Only afterwards did the pair, with glossy eyes and tear stained cheeks, kiss one final time and fell into each other's warm embrace. As their breathing slowed, both gently fell asleep, more content than ever thought possible.

Outside, the sun crested over the horizon, ushering in a new day for the outside world. But inside one small apartment, two young women had found a new world for themselves and in it they needed nothing but the other.

It was the sensation of Kari's body gliding over hers broke through the haze that filled Yolei's mind. The young woman felt Kari slip back beside her as a fragile science filled the room.

It was only moments later that Yolei found the strength to move and slowly turned onto her side, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

I forgot...I forgot her promise. How could I forget that...of all things?? the young woman berated herself as the memories of the night they shared faded back into the special part of her mind that was now reserved for those brief few hours and nothing else.

"Kari..I..." she started to say, trying to apologize for worrying her friend. She forgot the promise that all would remain the same with them no matter what. Her fears that things had changed because of what they shared now filled her with a sense of shame.

It was then Yolei felt the tender kiss upon her cheek and a soft voice to her ear as Kari nuzzled close. "There's nothing to be sorry for Yolei. Nothing at all..."

Hearing the sincerity in her friend's words, Yolei felt the great weight vanish from her shoulders. Tenderly she wrapped her arms around Kari, needing to simply hold her for a little while longer.

They stayed like that for what felt like forever until Yolei gently pulled away, smiling as she savored the feeling of Kari's fingers wrapped around her own.

"Kari..I..there is something..I have to tell you..."

Blinking, it took a moment for Kari to read the flickers of light in Yolei's eyes, but when she was finished it was so clear to her what Yolei was going to say.

"You don't have to say a thing Yolei. I already know."

The lovely pair of eyes blinked once, then twice, as Yolei stared at her for the longest time. "But...how...?"

The embrace tightened between the two young women as a playful smile tugged at the corner of Kari's lips. "Because you told me last night."

"I..I did..?" was the stammered reply as the night before was still a wonderful collection of jagged memories; some as clear as crystal, others muddled by moments of blazing passion.

Nodding, Kari kissed the closest available bit of skin and smiled a little more broadly. "Uh huh. Last night when you were..." and at that she paused, her own cheeks flushing a pink tint at the memory as at that moment in time, Yolei was in the throws of release; her body twisting and churning with inner tidal waves of desire.

With all the subtlety of a supernova, Yolei remembered both the words said and the moment they were spoken in and her cheeks turned as red as Hawkmon's feathers.

Seeing her friend's growing redness, Kari giggled softly which drew a look from her friend, who now was torn between tweaking Kari's nose for laughing at her predicament or going to hide under the bed until it passed.

The look on Yolei's face ignited more pearls of laughter from Kari's as eventually the holder of Light finally was able to speak without busting into more bits of laughter.

"You told me you loved me Yolei, and I...it meant a lot to me..."

Still blushing, Yolei looked away for a moment. "I know that..at the time maybe it was...that maybe I said it because of what was..happening..but..I.."

A gentle caress of a finger at her chin guided her gaze back to Kari's and the fingers slipped over the trembling lips to quiet the apology she knew was coming.

"But you meant it no matter what caused you to say it...right?"

Yolei nodded in quiet reply.

"Good. I knew you meant it Yolei because I could feel the love you have inside the moment I felt you in my arms."

Yolei was confused for moment and it must have shown because Kari elaborated further.

"You have the power of Love Yolei. Just like Sora. And just like her it took you a little longer to realize how love was supposed to feel. But you found it."

The realization washed over Yolei as the words sank in. She loved Kari. She could /feel/ it! She had always cared for Kari, but these feelings of pure love shook her to the core.

It was then another powerful thought drifted over her awareness. If I..if I can feel this way...feel love..for Kari, does that mean I ...I...

Kari winced slightly as Yolei's hand tightened unexpectedly. Quietly, she watched Yolei as the young woman inhaled sharply, apparently trying to steady herself against the thoughts running through her mind.

Whimpering to herself, a wave of understanding passed through Yolei. The way I feel around him when we talk. How can be so calm when everything gets so crazy. How..how he smiles at me sometimes, like it's just for me and no one else...

Keeping very quiet, Kari watched Yolei gazed up to the ceiling, her body trembling every so slightly.

It was then the memories became even more powerful, as flashes of Yolei's most intimate dreams surfaced. Izzy, holding her, kissing her with a deepness that touched her very soul. Hands, smooth as silk, running over her body under a moonlit sky. Then, under that same beautiful sky, the fateful moment when he entered her, taking her innocence with a gentleness only he could possess. Then afterwards, he simply held her in his arms for eternity.

Gasping, Yolei was slowly forced back to reality as the dream ended, her body shivering in reaction to the final few moments of her deepest fantasy.

"Yolei"  
"Yolei..are you okay..?"

Kari's sweet voice pulled Yolei back to full awareness. Turning to face her friend, Yolei could feel the tears of happiness run down her cheeks.

"I...I love him Kari. I understand it all now..."

Kari blinked, then began to cry herself as another powerful hug was shared between the young women as Yolei's deepest fear at never knowing love had been soundly defeated.

"Then...you'll tell him how you feel?"

About to say yes, fragments from earlier conversations suddenly filled Yolei's mind.

"I guess we both have a little problem telling who we love how we feel  
"I want to be with T.K. . I want him to be my first time, but I'm so scared that I'll be so..bad..that it'll make our first time a miserable experience for him..."

As the words faded, Yolei realized that Kari had brought her great passion, more than she had even known, by simply being herself.

Just by being herself...

Kari looked at her friend, confused by the slow smile that crept over her face. But before she could inquire as to why, Yolei's soft tones interrupted her train of thought.

"I'll tell Izzy how I feel Kari. I've got to know if he feels the same. But..."

Blinking, Kari felt a hint of growing unease at the pause. "But...what?"

"I want you to tell T.K. how you feel as well."

Freezing for a second, it was now Kari's turn to back away as uncertainty filled her thoughts. "But..I...can't Yolei..not yet. I'm not..."

"Don't you dare say your not good enough!" stressed Yolei through clenched teeth, her hands now solidly wrapped around Kari's upper arms. "After last night...after what we shared...you showed me that I could feel real love! But you couldn't have done that unless you believed in what you were doing. Don't you see Kari? By being yoursef-by wanting to give me a chance to find love-you proved you were good enough to be with T.K.! If you could bring me this kind of wonderful feeling Kari and we're best friends, imagine how incredible you will make T.K. feel because you love him so much!"

Kari's face tried to take on a look of denial, but a wave of hesitation passed over her eyes as deep inside her mind she tried to place Yolei's logic against her own deep rooted doubts.

By just..being..myself?? The words echoed deep within Kari's soul. She wanted to doubt it; deny the truth they held, but it was impossible in light of the sincerity in Yolei's voice.

At that moment, Kari realized that Yolei was right. She brought Yolei passion; then, the realization of love by just doing what she felt was right. But..what if she did the same with T.K., who she loved deeper than anyone else, even Yolei?

A deep gasp escaped Kari's lips as she clutched Yolei close. The tears started to flow once more, but now they were born of relief as deep in Kari's heart she finally understood what Yolei apparently had seen all along.

She /was/ good enough for T.K.; good enough to tell him...everything.

Holding her friend close, Kari looked into the bottomless depths of Yolei's eyes and with a gentle voice she whispered "Thank you..."

They stayed like that for nearly an hour, simply content in each others embrace.

It was almost one p.m. when the pair finally parted, only keeping one hand wrapped gently around the other. A stretch of silence filled the air between them until Kari finally broke the quiet. Their time together was almost over; they both had to move on...move forward. But Kari knew there was one more detail that needed to be dealt with.

"Yolei..I..about last night..I.."

Slowly the young woman turned, listening softly to her friend.

"I loved what happened. How you felt..how /we/ felt...together. But..I don't know...don't think..."

"It's okay Kari. I feel the same way. It was...too special..too wonderful..."

Yolei's voice trailed off as it was clear the words weren't necessary. Both were all-too-aware that their destined loves were elsewhere. But each also knew that in those dark times ahead; when life and love looked to be nothing but pain and misery, this night and the moments it held would be their strength to continue. They could go on, knowing that truelove and friendship were not fleeting glimpses of dreams but out there...waiting to be found and embraced once more.

Without another word spoken, both slipped out of bed and hand in hand slipped into the bathroom. Under the warm water each was cleaned of any outwards traces of their bonding, the soap drawing the clues that might would tell others of the past night down the drain into obscurity. But no amount of water could wash away the memories each young woman held tightly in their soul.

Finally dressed and with the other physical traces obscured in hampers or neatly put back into place both young women held each other close, framed in the open doorway by the afternoon sun.

"So, your going to see him now?"

"No time like the present. You?"

"Yes. I've put this off too long already. I want to...need...to tell him."

Another moment of silence passed between them as each looked into the eyes of the other. Then, drenched in the light of the afternoon sun they kissed. As deep and passionate as any shared previously, Kari and Yolei sealed the night they shared away, forever enriching their hearts and souls with a dream all their own.

The kiss ended and the two parted. Without another word, Yolei picked up her book bag and walked out the door, filled with a confidence she never had possessed until now. Not even with the smallest of glances back the bearer of Love and Sincerity rounded the corner and crossed the street, steadily making her way towards Izzy's.

Watching her friend slip out of sight, Kari started down the stairs as she too confidently moved every closer to the apartment she knew so well, and the young man she wanted to know even better.

"Gah! Remind me to never play soccer with Davis again Patamon!" asked T.K. as the first bit of ice cold water splashed over his bare form, which was for the most part covered in dried brown mud from a morning skirmish with his friend and goggle-clad rival.

"I told you he was going to cut to the side and slide in behind you to get the ball T.K.!" replied Patamon with an unsaid 'I-told-you-so' tone to his voice as he rested on top of the fuzzy toilet tank topper.

The young man sighed softly as the soap was lathered over his body. "I know Patamon, but I was sure he would veer left at the last moment and try a side-kick to the goal."

The Digimon smiled as best he could. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me huh T.K.?"

Despite the teasing, T.K. smiled. "Sure thing pal..."

It was then the doorbell rang and T.K. cussed, harsh enough to cause even Patamon, who was by now well versed in human language, blink at the words and cocked his head slightly.

"Can humans do that T.K. without snapping in half?"

Groaning, T.K. did a quick rinse-off and sneaked his hand out for a towel. Feeling it slip into his hand with a little help from the Digimon, T.K. mummered a 'thanks' and dried off quickly. Stepping out of the tub he tightened the towel around his lower body and slipped out into the hallway, wishing his mom had been home to grab the door. But with her at a press conference until tomorrow evening, he had get the door and leave his shower half done.

If this is another door-to-door salesman with something that's going to change my life... he thought darkly as his hand rested on the doorknob as the bell rang again.

"I'm going over to see if Gatomon's back from the DigiWorld T.K." informed Patamon as he flapped over to an open window and rested on the sill for a moment.

Turning the knob, T.K. glanced over his should just long enough to nod. "Have fun Patamon. Be home in time for dinner."

With that the Digimon nodded and left as T.K. turned the knob and proceeded to be as polite as possible considering he was mostly naked and dripping wet.

Thus mentally distracted, he didn't even consider checking the peephole first as the door opened.

"Hello..can I help...?"

It was then he noticed the visitor was Kari.

Kari was at his door. Kari was at his door, and dressed in a flattering tank top and cutoff shorts. Kari was at his door, dressed like../that/...and he was in a towel. A very wet and clinging towel.

Kari's breath caught someone in the middle of her windpipe and she stood there staring that the handsome young man before her. Even in her deepest fantasies about T.K., this one moment blew them all away.

Oh...God...look at his eyes.. and the way water runs down his chest...over his stomach...then... Kari's mental train of thought derailed as her gaze fixed on the cotton towel and what it hid beneath the soft fabric.

Both stood there for a long time, shocked by the power of the moment until T.K. managed to strangle out a soft excuse.

"I didn't..know..it was..you...Kari. I'll..uhmm...go..change?"

It was at that moment Kari could no longer hold back telling T.K how she felt. His soft, stuttering voice at trying to be respectful towards her, combined with how he looked was more powerful than Kari's need to hold back and not rush things.

Before T.K. could move an inch Kari bolted over and with a passionate embrace wrapped her arms around him. Clutching him tightly, her lips gently pressed against his at first, then deepened into a fiery inferno of love. Fueled by that inferno and the confidence gained the night before, Kari's kiss seemed to get more intense with each second. It was only what felt like an eternity later than she pulled away, tears glistening in her eyes.

T.K. stood there, shocked to his very soul. He had known for a long time how much Kari cared for him, but she...they... had...never said the words.

As he tried to find his voice, a slender finger over his lips stopping him. Kari's arms again wrapped around his form.

"T.K...?"

The young man blinked at how soft she spoke his name. He gave her an inquisitive look, not yet trusting his own voice.

"I love you T.K. . I always have, and I always will."

The words hung there, waiting for T.K. to take them. For a moment, he stood there, stunned by what had been said. Then, deep in his heart he embraced the words, and simply and without restraint kissed Kari with every ounce of passion he possessed.

"I love you too Kari. Forever..."

Tears falling, they trailed down the soft skin of her cheeks, splashing against T.K.'s shoulder. Then, still wrapped in the others arms, they slowly descended to the floor as their long denied passions swept over them. No more words were said that evening, as their hearts and spirits spoke for both as the first day of the rest of their lives unfolded in quiet splendor.

"You sure you don't want to go with us to the movies son?"

Glancing up from his laptop, Izzy shook his head. "No, you and mom go ahead. I've got to finish this program for my class presentation on Monday." replied the young man as he easily went back crunching code at mind numbing speeds.

Sighing very softly, Izzy's father silently accepted the decision despite the feeling otherwise. Izzy had been cooped up in his room off and on for weeks and had taken no time for himself.

Being dedicated to your work or studies is one thing son, but you have to find time for yourself as well.

Quietly musing, he walked into his son's room and sat upon the bed looking directly at the young man.

Under the scrutiny, Izzy paused and swung his chair around to face his adoptive father.

"Is something wrong dad?"

"Izzy, every day that passes I see more of your dad in your actions. The same dedication; the same drive to fix and solve things. Your so much like him it's almost overwhelming at times.."

The Bearer of Knowledge sat there, a bit stunned by the comparison. His birth parents were rarely spoke of as Izzy had made the decision to not dig into his past and learn about his lost mother and father. He had a family now, and to bring up the past could uncover things that was best left forgotten to all but time.

Before he could reply, a gently pat on the knee from his dad gave pause to his question as his father continued.

"But you see Izzy, your dad was also a very private person. He would spends hours, sometimes days, working to the exclusion of all else. And sometimes that included your mom..." Ignoring the look of surprise on his son's face, he continued. "Your mother understood that, and accepted the fact when she married him. But I know it still put a terrible strain on their relationship at times."

Izzy's throat felt parched as this stunning revelation came to light. Finally finding his voice, he has to know...

"Why...why are you telling me this poppa?"

Mr. Izumi blinked, and felt a bit of emotion creep into his voice..It's been years since he called me that... After taking a moment to compose himself, he was able to continue.

"Because I don't want you to fall into that same fate Izzy. I want you to enjoy life beyond these four walls. I want you to be happy, both in body and soul. There's an entire world out there, and it can be even more exciting than even the Digital World if you just give it a chance..."

For a long moment Izzy sat there, a bit overwhelmed by what his father had said. It was only after a few moments that he was able to find enough coherency to nod.

Knowing the silent reply would be as true a promise as a spoken answer, the older man stood up and gave his son a powerful hug, which the young man returned with equal force.

Finally separating, the two looked at each other as the moment was sure to be one of those 'father-son' moments each would remember for many years to come. Still...

"Uhm...Dad..?"

Pausing as he stared to walk out, Mr. Izumi turned and looked at his son.

"Thanks."

With a simple nod, his father departed and moments later the quiet voices of him and his wife faded as the front door was shut, leaving Izzy alone in the empty apartment.

Izzy stood there looking at his computer screen. Inhaling softly he leaned over and saved the file to the hard drive and shut down the system. As the computer powered down, the young man grabbed his half finished soda and moved to the large sliding glass window that led to his balcony.

As he opened the glass and stepped outside, the rush of everyday life assaulted his senses until he finally got used to the sounds. Like a hidden observer, Izzy watched the people far below as their lives unfolded.

Taking a sip of soda, the young man let his gaze drift from the city and towards the ocean, just hinted at beyond the horizon.

As he stood there, a dozen thoughts filled his mind as his fathers' words echoed within his memory.

I wish it was as easy as you make it sound dad, but I'm not what you call the good looking type. I don't have the personality like Tai, or the coolness of Matt. I mean, lets face it, even Davis has more of an outgoing attitude than me, and /that's/ scary. But it's hard to find that someone special if you were just average enough to be lost in a crowd.

And that's the way Izzy felt most of the time. Save for his computer knowledge, he felt that he didn't stand out in a crowd. People were not naturally attracted to him for his personality nor his looks. Sure, if a problem needed to be solved he was the first person many turned too. But when it came to relationships and romance, Izzy didn't have the first clue where to begin.

Another deep sigh escaped his lips as the sun darted behind a cloud, casting a long shadow over the city; much like the one that was trying to cover Izzy's heart.

Still, dad's right. I have to at least get out a little and try. I mean, what are the odds of true love knocking on my door?

As the thought faded, Izzy's introspection was interrupted by the chiming of the doorbell. Raising an eyebrow, he slipped back inside and over towards the door, curious as to who it could be since he wasn't expecting company.

Upon opening the door, Izzy blinked once, then twice, as Yolei stood there politely. But what shocked him so much was the simple fact that she looked like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"Uhmm...hi Yolei."

"Hi Izzy. Can I come in?"

Nodding he opened the door wide enough for his unexpected guest to enter. Moments later he closed it and looked over at his friend.

"Is there something wrong Yolei? Is there a problem in the Digiworld, or ..."

Grinning, Yolei shook her head and looked at the young man intently. "Not at all Izzy! I just stopped by to talk to you."

He blinked again as her voice sounded so...confident and assured. For some reason, several mental alarms went off in his head, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

"Talk? About what?" he cautiously asked.

Yolei took two steps over and gently wrapped her hand around his, fingers intertwining as she rested her head on his shoulders. Tapping into the confidence gained from the night before she quietly held the young man as her voice echoed in the still room.

"I want...to talk to you...about us." she said quietly as her fingers tightened slightly around his.

Izzy felt all the blood rush to his face as his mind struggled to wrap around the idea that she was talking about.../that/.

Could she-is she-saying she...

"U..us?" was the stammered reply as his eyes locked with Yolei's. It was then he saw her sparkling orbs filled with a happiness never witnessed...or simply not /noticed/...before.

Nodding, Yolei took Izzy's other hand and clasped it to her own as she grinned at the expression upon his face.

"That's right Izzy..." she said as the moment she had long dreaded, now relished, was upon her.

"Us."

A glimmer of hope bubbled up from Izzy's heart as the young woman looked at him with a loving gaze. Tenderly, he wrapped his arms around her as a soft whisper filled the air between them.

"I'd think I'd like that Yolei..." he whispered, eyes shimmering with unexpected tears.

"I think I would like that a lot..."

FIN 


End file.
